City Vinton, Virginia Branding "Steve FM" First air date 1994 | Broadcast area Metro Roanoke Slogan "Random Radio" | |
Frequency 106.1 MHz
(also on HD Radio) | ||
WSFF (106.1 FM) and WSNZ (101.7 FM) are Adult Hits formatted broadcast radio stations. WSFF is licensed to Vinton, Virginia, serving Metro Roanoke. WSNZ is licensed to Lynchburg, Virginia, serving Metro Lynchburg. Both WSFF and WSNZ are owned and operated by iHeartMedia.
Combined 106.1/101.7 History
106.1 FM started out with the call sign WWFO on January 18, 1991 and officially launched in 1994.
101.7 FM started out with the call sign WXUY on August 1, 1964 before being changed to WJJS on January 1, 1992 as a format swap with its AM sister station, sending the Urban WJJS to 1320 AM, and WXYU became Top 40.
In 1994, the frequencies began a simulcast as "Jammin' 101.7 and 106.1" and 106.1 FM as a Rhythmic Top 40 format. 101.7 FM moved its callsign, WJJS to 106.1 FM on May 18, 1994, while 101.7 FM became WJJX on April 29, 1994. On August 29, 1996, 106.1 FM modified the callsign to WJJS-FM and the WJJS call sign was returned to 1320 AM (now WVGM).
In 1998, WJJS-FM/WJJX shifted to Contemporary Hit Radio and began a serious challenge to take on the area's longtime rival WXLK in a battle would last for nearly seven years, even though they maintained a Rhythmic lean during that tenure.
But by 2005 WJJS-FM/WJJX would start shifting back towards a pure Rhythmic direction as they began phasing out non-Rhythmic product, resulting in a complete return to Rhythmic Top 40 in the Spring of 2006.
At noon on December 17, 2007, the WZBL call sign and Classic Country format was moved from 104.9 FM to 106.1 FM as "106.1 The Bull". This was part of a frequency swap that moved the WJJS call letters to 104.9 FM as "Jammin' JJS". On the same date the 101.7 FM "WJJX" simulcast was also swapped with WSNV, which had been broadcasting on 102.7 FM, simulcasting WSNV at 93.5 FM.
At noon on March 27, 2009, the format was changed to Adult Hits as "106.1 Steve FM; Playing Whatever We Want". The new callsign, WSFF, went into effect a day later on March 28. By late 2012, the slogan changed to "Random Radio". At 5:00 P.M. on March 25, 2011, WSFF began simulcasting on WSNZ at 101.7 FM, once again reuniting 106.1 FM with 101.7 FM.
WSFF is part of a group of stations owned by Clear Channel that are scheduled to be sold as part of Clear Channel's conversion from a public to a private company.
The station formerly broadcast all Virginia Tech sporting events including Hokies football and basketball games until the start of the 2011-2012 year when it was moved to WSNV.